Doctoral

 Undergraduate

 Coterminal MA

The Stanford Sociology Doctoral Program: Application Checklist

Applications for admission to the PhD program in Fall 2010 are due December 1, 2009.  The online application system will be available September 18, 2009.

The following materials are required for application to the program. Please carefully review detailed descriptions below:

 

 

Application

Stanford uses an online application (see “Apply Here” section of website). The application fee for admission in 2010 will be $125. Please set your computer to a Western European or other English-language setting. We cannot guarantee the ability to print your application materials if they are submitted in other fonts.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the Doctoral Program in Sociology at Stanford, your preparation, study and research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid our admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for pursuing a Ph.D. in Sociology. You will be asked to upload your statement as a text file (via the online application system).

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores

  • We encourage you to register early to maximize the chances of scheduling your preferred test date and time.
  • If we do not receive your scores by the application deadline, your application will be considered incomplete.
  • We require the GRE General Test. Please do not take the subject test!
  • Scores must be from an examination taken within the last five years.
  • Scores must be reported directly to Stanford from the Educational Testing Service.
    • The Stanford institution code is 4704.
    • DO NOT SPECIFY A DEPARTMENT CODE.
  • For more information regarding the GRE, you can contact them directly: http://www.gre.org. 
  • Make arrangements to take the General Test online www.gre.org or by writing:

    Educational Testing Service
    Box 955
    Princeton, New Jersey 08540

    OR

    Educational Testing Service
    1947 Center Street
    Berkeley, California 94704

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Transcripts

  • Arrange for TWO original copies of your transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate work to be sent directly to our department – do NOT send transcripts to the Stanford University Office of Graduate Admissions.
  • Transcripts must bear the official seal of the institution and the signature of the Registrar.
  • All records should clearly indicate the name under which you are applying to Stanford.
  • International applicants are required to submit translations of transcripts and other documents not in English. For additional requirements, see the International Academic Credentials section of the Office of Graduate Admissions’ website: Information for International Applicants.
  • Transcripts should be mailed to:

Department of Sociology
ATTN: PhD Admissions – Transcripts
Stanford University MC 2047
450 Serra Mall – Main Quad
Building 120 – Room 160B
Stanford, CA 94305 - 2047

Letters of Recommendation

  • Prepare a list of a minimum of three recommenders. At least one letter should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years).
  • Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work. You will need to submit the name, title, address, institution or business name, and email address of all your recommenders via the online application system.
  • Immediately after you enter your recommenders’ contact information online, your recommenders will be sent an email asking them to submit a letter of recommendation electronically. Please notify your recommenders of the application deadline. We strongly encourage you to have letters of recommendations submitted online.

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Writing Sample

  • In addition to the University's application requirements, the Department of Sociology requires a writing sample from all applicants to the Ph.D. Program. The Admissions Committee will be looking for original work giving evidence of both writing ability and the capacity for research, analysis, and original thought at the graduate level. Your writing sample could be an Honors or Master's Thesis, published paper, co-written paper, or comparable article.
  • Papers originally written in a language other than English must be submitted in English Translation.
  • Samples may be up to 50 pages long.  Other things equal, a short, effectively written sample is preferable to a longer sample. If you decide to submit a longer sample, please indicate which pages should be reviewed by the admissions committee. Your writing sample can be uploaded with your online application as a text file as an addendum to your personal statement or under 'additional information'. Writing samples can be signle or double spaced.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

  • Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for admission. Scores are required of all applicants whose first language is not English.
  • Exceptions are granted for applicants who have earned a U.S. bachelor’s or master’s degree from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association in the United States, or the equivalent of either degree from a non-US college or university of recognized standing where all instruction is provided in English. This exception does not apply if the courses were completed in a country where English is spoken but not all courses were provided in English.
  • Being a citizen of the United States does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking the TOEFL; if the applicant’s first language is not English, the applicant must meet the exception above or submit TOEFL scores.
  • Scores must be submitted from a test taken within the last eighteen months.
  • Applicants are urged to take the TOEFL by December to be eligible for admission for the following Autumn Quarter. Evidence of adequate English proficiency must be submitted before enrollment is approved by Graduate Admissions.
  • For information on registration, test centers, and dates, contact ETS:

    TOEFL/TSE Services
    P.O. Box 6151,
    Princeton, NJ 08541- 6151
    Telephone: 1-609-771-7100
    Fax: 1-609-771-7500
    Email: toefl@ets.org
    Web site: http://www.toefl.org

  • The University Minimum TOEFL Score for Doctoral programs is 250 for Computer-based test, 600 for paper-based test, and 100 for Internet-based test. More information is available via the Stanford University Office of Graduate Admissions website.

CV or Resume

  • We do not require a CV or resume for application. You may upload your CV or resume as a text file as an addendum to your personal statement or under 'additional information'.

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